Underground Wisdom
How Mushroom Networks Reveal the Psychology of Business Success
My personal intentions for 2025 include being connected with nature and pursuing a deeper understanding of the natural world around me. As I was reading through “Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest” by Suzanne Simard, I had a HUGE light bulb moment: marketing can learn from mushrooms. Even further, businesses can mimic mushrooms for a more meaningful connection to their consumers.
I placed a page flag (of course, illustrated with tiny mushrooms) from my botanicals-themed office supplies on the page where I had the epiphany and kept reading. But as I turned each page, the thought weighed on me more and more. So, I decided to embrace the provocation.
This article explores the connection between how a certain type of fungi connects trees in the forest and how psychology connects humans in business.
Learning from the Forest's Hidden Network
In "Finding the Mother Tree," Simard reveals a world of sophisticated communication and resource-sharing that challenges our traditional views of forest ecology. "The trees were connected through an underground web of fungal filaments," she writes, "that allowed them to share information and resources in a way that optimized the health and resiliency of the whole forest" (Simard, 2021, p. 45). This discovery fundamentally shifted our understanding of forest ecosystems from ones of competition to cooperation.
The mycorrhizal fungi create an intricate network that connects different tree species, allowing them to share nutrients, water, and even information about threats. These connections are particularly vital between older "mother trees" and younger saplings. As Simard explains, "Mother trees recognize and colonize their kin through their mycorrhizal networks, sending them more carbon below ground than they send to strangers" (Simard, 2021, p. 167).
However, the underlying (and groundbreaking) finding is that trees work together through the network of fungi, sending nutrients and communicating to produce mutually beneficial relationships.
Psychology as the Human Mycorrhizal Network
As I delved deeper into this research, I began to see striking parallels between these fungal networks and human consciousness. In "Emergent Strategy," adrienne maree brown explores similar patterns in human society: "What we practice at the small scale sets the patterns for the whole system" (brown, 2017, p. 53).
Just as mycorrhizal fungi create highways of connection between trees, our psychological makeup predisposes us to form networks of emotional and social bonds.
Lyanda Lynn Haupt elaborates on this connection in "Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit," suggesting that "Our human capacity for relationship mirrors the interconnected nature of the living world" (Haupt, 2021, p. 89). This natural tendency toward connection forms the foundation of all human organizations, including our business relationships.
The biological basis for these shared experiences lies in our neural architecture. Just as trees share resources through fungal networks, humans share emotions, ideas, and experiences through our own biological and social networks. This understanding provides crucial insights for business leaders seeking to build more authentic and sustainable relationships.
Psychological Concepts Mirroring Natural Networks
1. Social Contagion Theory
Like the way nutrients spread through mycorrhizal networks, emotions and behaviors can spread through human communities. Research shows that happiness, buying behaviors, and even health habits can spread through social networks much like resources spread through fungal networks in forests.
This phenomenon has profound implications for marketing and business development. As brown notes, "What we pay attention to grows" (brown, 2017, p. 78). Understanding how ideas and behaviors spread through networks can help businesses create more organic, sustainable growth patterns.
2. Collective Intelligence
Just as forest networks create resilient ecosystems through shared resources, human groups demonstrate remarkable problem-solving capabilities when properly connected. The "wisdom of crowds" phenomenon mirrors how forests solve complex challenges through their fungal networks.
Simard's observation that "A forest is much more than what you see" (Simard, 2021, p. 203) applies equally to human organizations. The collective intelligence of customers, employees, and stakeholders often exceeds individual expertise, particularly in product development and innovation.
3. Mirror Neurons and Empathy
Our capacity for empathy through mirror neurons parallels the sophisticated communication systems in forest networks. As Haupt observes, "We are wired for connection, for feeling what others feel" (Haupt, 2021, p. 156). This biological foundation for understanding others is crucial for building authentic business relationships.
In customer experience design, this understanding helps create more intuitive and emotionally resonant interactions. Just as trees respond to the needs of their neighbors, successful businesses must attune themselves to their customers' emotional states and needs.
4. Group Identity Formation
Communities naturally develop shared values and identities, much like how different species in a forest become interdependent through their fungal networks. This process has important implications for brand community building and corporate culture development.
Business as an Ecosystem
The lessons from forest networks offer a powerful new paradigm for business relationships. As Simard notes, "The forest is not simply a collection of trees; it's a complex, adaptive social network" (Simard, 2021, p. 278).
Similarly, successful businesses are not just collections of transactions but complex networks of relationships and shared value.
This understanding calls for a fundamental shift in how we approach business strategy. Instead of focusing solely on competition and resource extraction, we must nurture our networks and build sustainable relationships. As brown reminds us, "What we practice at the small scale sets the patterns for the whole system" (brown, 2017, p. 53).
Reflection
How do your business relationships mirror the supportive networks found in forests? Consider both the strong and weak connections in your network.
HOW TO TAKE ACTION
The easiest next step is to amplify this message (share to your favorite social media platform).
Sign up for my email list to stay up-to-date on the latest in marketing psychology insights and applicable ways to use it in your daily life.
Book a virtual coffee to talk to me directly about how AI can implicate long-term brand loyalty.
References
brown, a. m. (2017). Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds. AK Press.
Haupt, L. L. (2021). Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit. Little, Brown Spark.
Simard, S. (2021). Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest. Knopf.